Why is it that people loose common sense trying to load or launch. Why is okay to leave your boat tied to the courtesy dock with your wife/girlfriend entire party sitting in your boat looking bored while you grab your trailer to load while the 20 other boats would like just a small spot to drop off someone off to get our trailer?

Why is it that rest of the 20 waiting have to crowd the courtesy dock so even if we find a small spot to drop someone off you have about 5 feet between boats to navigate back out and wait?

And finally, why is it the guys with the 1,000 mile per hour boats that are so damn loud your can't hear for days have to rev their engines while idling right in front of you?

My favorite is why can't people drive their boat on to the trailer. I see so many people put the trailer right beside the dock and then pull the boat on. I always come in and drop off my driver to get my truck. I leave the dock and wait. As he is backing in I am already comin for the trailer. I still have everyone in the boat as well. Drive on hook the bow and pull out under a minute later. Some people make it sooo difficult.

Exactly what you mention above - 1 boat tied up to the solo ramp with a bunch of drunk heads still partying while waiting for their truck to roll in - then when the truck finally pulls up, they start unloading all the boat stuff, walk it up to the truck amidst one of the couples about to kill each other.
Other double ramp - NOPE - what do you know - the friends of the other boat - with thier truck right down the middle of both ramps with Dude in boat screamin his head off at his wife (driving truck) & 4 kids running all over the place...screaming at both mom & dad....

No kidding, Nick.
The average working man can't afford primary waterfront though. But I'm all over secondary after listening to stories like this. I share a private dock & boat ramp with a few dozen of my neighbors, rarely wait in any lines or deal with public ramps.

If I had a hot boat I would have a loud exhaust I won't lie but the revving is a bit much. I don't blast my stereo at the courtesy dock even though I have plenty of stereo to do so.

As for hogging the small courtesy dock that can go either way. I pull my boat up as far to the edge of any dock that my boat fenders will allow to give others room to drop off. If there's still not enough room...oh well...kiss my ass. My girlfriend is comfortable backing the boat off the trailer but not loading. In my case I don't occupy the courtesy dock launching but I do when loading. Having that said, if I see others idling in towards the dock, I'll have my girlfriend drop me off and back off the dock, wait for me to put the trailer in the water, and then pick me back up. Courtesy docks at my favorite lake is 20ft wide...my boat is 25ft with swim platform so that in of itself posses a problem but like I said, I always pull all the way forward so maybe a smaller I/O or bassboat can at least get to the side of the dock

Even when im SOLO - i never tie up to the ramp dock. Thats the ramp - PERIOD.
When Launching(SOLO) - ill back my trailer down. Jump on the boat - pull boat out & tie it to the side dock - NOT the ramp dock. Run over to my truck & pull the trailer out.
When pulling out - ill tie my boat to the side dock. NOT the ramp dock. Grab my truck, back in the trailer. RUN over to my boat - trailer it, then hop in my truck and pull her out,
NEVER ONCE anywhere there - do i tie up and SHUT DOWN a ramp all to myself.

A few weeks back, we were waiting at the 2-lane ramp that only had one lane working. When we finally got down there the other lane had a trailer backed down with the boat still on it but in the water. The boat wouldn't start, so they had gotten out all the tools and were working away. This, while there was a line up top waiting for the now single lane that was available. While waiting for our trailer driver after launching, I suggested that they push the boat off the trailer, launching it and work on it tied up to the dock instead of holding everyone up. The response was a shoulder shrug. Whatever, I wasn't going to let it ruin our morning (which went on to be awesome!).

AJ - talking about the CA DELTA. See pic - im pulling into my trailer. what were talking about are people who will tie up right in here, and block that ramp instead of tying up right on the other side and keeping the ramp open.

We had a situation at our local ramp a year or two ago. A guy had parked his boat right in front of the ramp (similar to where Miguel is loading his boat). Then he went up the hill to get his truck & trailer. When my buddy came down with his truck, we were not able to load the boat on the trailer because this guy's boat was in the way. When the guy got back in line with his truck & trailer, there were like 3 others in front of him, and our truck & trailer is sitting on the ramp waiting for him to move.
The guy actually got pissed & said he was next, and everyone should be getting out of his way.

Its not just hot boats, there's douches in wakeboarding boats that pull this crap too! Just last week I took my neighbor lady and three of her friends all elderly lady's to Orwood and somebody was blocking this same exact ramp at Orwood. When I asked the guy to move his boat he said "just wait bro its not a big deal I'm waiting for my buddy to get here!" I explained to him where to park and wait just to the right where theres tons of open dock space and he told me to shut the f' up. Needless to say I lost it! I threw the boat in reverse and aimed for him! lol " It wasn't my boat and i stopped it before it made contact" He got all pissed and him and his three roid brothers stand up in the boat trying to look tough and i told him if he felt froggy to leap because my addrenaline was flowing, he backed down with his buddies and finally moved! I think I have a photo that has his boat in the background. If you see this douche tell him I said hi!

My favorite is why can't people drive their boat on to the trailer. I see so many people put the trailer right beside the dock and then pull the boat on. I always come in and drop off my driver to get my truck. I leave the dock and wait. As he is backing in I am already comin for the trailer. I still have everyone in the boat as well. Drive on hook the bow and pull out under a minute later. Some people make it sooo difficult.

I see people say this a lot, but at the ramp I usually use this is impossible. The ramp is open an exposed to river current, which is crazy strong unless you're at slack tide, and low tide is not usable for any decent sized boat.

My normal procedure is back in close to the dock with one person holding the boat and just toss me the bow line, pull it on the trailer while helper holds boat off the dock or holds the line, attach winch, and crank it up. Normal loading takes me maybe 3-4 minutes. If current is light then halve that. I deal with cleaning up the boat and gear after I've pulled away from the ramp and am not blocking anyone. On vacation when I use a sheltered ramp on a lake, it's great... I can just idle right up the trailer, crank it tight, hook safety chain, and bang done. Takes no time at all compared to the crappy unsheltered ramps we have on the river in my neck of the woods.

The worst offenders at the ramp I use are people who are obviously too poor and stupid to own a watercraft. Most are jet skis. They tie up the ramp all day, leaving trailers on it, tying up all day at the small courtesy dock, load/unload their gear on the dock, and other shenanigans. I hate these people with a passion. Fortunately they're all drunk weekend warriors so relatively easy to avoid. I try to hit the ramp at sunrise and be in by 12-2 at latest. The drunks wake up around noon and hit the ramp by mid-afternoon so this usually works pretty good. I hate having to wait an hour to use the ramp because one or two people hog the ramp with their antics.

I will say I do have patience with those who are obviously new at boating or new at this ramp. Those folks I'll offer help and they usually accept, which makes life easier and less stressful for everyone. This time of year is best though, too cold for the weekend warriors so not much traffic at the ramp.

AJ - talking about the CA DELTA. See pic - im pulling into my trailer. what were talking about are people who will tie up right in here, and block that ramp instead of tying up right on the other side and keeping the ramp open.

That's pretty snazzy right there. We don't have anything near that nice. Just two lane concrete ramps down into the water and then maybe between 50-100ft nearby a small 20'x8' floating dock. That would suck if someone did just back off the trailer and park it right there.

There are 2 single and 2 double ramps for a total of SIX at the launch we use and we STILL have issues. Two of them are clearly marked for "Deep Draft" boats....we are physically unable to use 4 of the 6 due to the low water level. You can guess the story....Fisherman comes in from the lake and ties up to one of the dubs (not deep draft); bow line only, of course, cause there's no chance the boat will drift, right?! A pontoon rolls in and takes one of the two deep draft spots & ties her up at the dock. The fisherman previously mentioned backs down the other deep draft ramp because some dumba$$ (oh wait, that was him) has his fishing boat drifting between two ramps blocking them completely. Apparently, the two available single ramps just weren't attractive to him. Once the fisherman FINALLY moves - 5 to 7 minutes later, he just barely pulls his rig out of the way. My tow vehicle backs, we hook up and go to pull out (90 seconds tops), but he has the entire exit from the launch area blocked! I'm usually good about staying relaxed, but Geez! MOVE IDIOT!

Thanks for letting me Vent! I just don't get how clueless people can be! I guess some people are just truly blessed with ZERO Self Awareness! (The same people I get behind when boarding an aircraft!)

I'm with aj. It sure would be nice to have different docks to pull up too. Of the two lakes I go too you either have one little 20 by 8 dock or at the other one you have the shore. But def hearing about ppl that can't trailer their boat or take up only one side of the double ramp. It can get a little aggravating. When I'm on someone elses boat I usually jump out and offer my services to speed things along and the ppl are usually pretty good about being gracious. It's all good when I get a day out at the lake

I do have to say though - the day this all occurred, my oldest son (21) usually jumps out with my wife and retrieves the trailer while my daughter and 19 yo son stay with me and help get it on the trailer. My oldest wasn't with us - so I look at my wife and tell her - guess what you get to go get the truck and trailer and back it down the ramp. She's never done it before. She had the "oh ****" look on her face.

She did it like a pro - we loaded and were out in 2 minutes. She was on cloud nine. I did change my pissed off mood to a good one.

The great thing is that the fam is a great crew. They all jump right in and detail the boat when we pull out - and are up the ramp and over in the clean out area!!!!!!